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The return of the Bundesliga has edged closer after the German government agreed for the league to resume this month despite ongoing uncertainty over the coronavirus pandemic.

There were hopes that the German top-flight would return to action on the weekend of May 15, despite the coronavirus crisis wreaking havoc on football schedules all over the globe.

It is understood that Germany's chancellor, Angela Merkel, had initially insisted that there must be a two-week quarantine for all of the teams before action can resume, meaning a date of May 22.

But German chiefs are understood to have performed a U-turn and decided one week was sufficient, as per the league's medical advice.

Therefore, Bundesliga action is expected to resume in the second half of May.

It is positive news for German football fans as the Government has seemingly given the green light for the league to resume.

Jadon Sancho is starring in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund (Image: REUTERS)

Matches would take place under strict conditions - and with no fans in stadiums.

The Bundesliga would be the first of the five major European domestic leagues to resume play after a stoppage which has seen almost all football put on hold around the world since mid-March.

So far Portugal, Poland and Hungary have given dates for restarting their national leagues, all towards the end of May.

Germany's professional teams have been training since mid-April, divided into small groups and under strict conditions which include extensive testing of all players and coaching staff.

The return of the Bundesliga has been delayed (Image: ARMANDO BABANI/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

The German Football League (DFL) has submitted a health safety plan for games without spectators which includes regular testing of players but no quarantines for entire squads in cases of positive tests.

However, it says that if a player is infected, decisions on the measures to be taken lie with the local health authorities.

On Monday, the DFL said that it had registered 10 positive cases in a blanket test of 1,724 players and staff at its 36 first and second division clubs.

The DFL said a second round of tests would be carried out in the next week and there "may be isolated positive test results".